View Full Version : Awesome waterproof fire starter
A buddy of mine made this fire starter that is unbelievable. Towards the end of vid I also do a comparison with Wetfire by dunking both in water and see which one burns hotter and longer. Some of you might be interested in this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F5uKVVaGd8
Look great...
Now we just need to know what it is. :)
Camping Dave
01-16-2012, 22:28
I call BS.
Your "cotton ball with vaseline" burned out in about a 60 seconds, and that just doesn't square with memories of my boy scouting day. So I ran a test. Turns out a plain cotton ball burns out in about 30 seconds and gee, it sure burns a lot like your "cotton ball with vaseline." Then I burned a cotton ball with a little vaseline. After 4 minutes I got bored and put it out. And it looked a lot like your magic cotton ball.
But hey, I watched until the advertisement popp
I call BS.
Your "cotton ball with vaseline" burned out in about a 60 seconds, and that just doesn't square with memories of my boy scouting day. So I ran a test. Turns out a plain cotton ball burns out in about 30 seconds and gee, it sure burns a lot like your "cotton ball with vaseline." Then I burned a cotton ball with a little vaseline. After 4 minutes I got bored and put it out. And it looked a lot like your magic cotton ball.
But hey, I watched until the advertisement popp
Tell ya what, i'd be glad to send you some to try. I have to say BS if you think a cotton ball with vasaline will even come close. Send me a PM. Oh yeah be sure to dunk your cotton ball with vaseline is water before you light it or not light it. Might want to do some research and get your facts before you post comments like that.
Look great...
Now we just need to know what it is. :)
All I know is its some kind of Jelwax. I think it cost about 55 for a gallon. So I'm not advertising do a search for the "AMAZING COTTON BALL". There are 2 guys that make it and both show what is used and how to make the. Personally I'm not going to by $55 worth to make cotton balls.....lol I just though some would be interested to see it.
I call BS.
Your "cotton ball with vaseline" burned out in about a 60 seconds, and that just doesn't square with memories of my boy scouting day. So I ran a test. Turns out a plain cotton ball burns out in about 30 seconds and gee, it sure burns a lot like your "cotton ball with vaseline." Then I burned a cotton ball with a little vaseline. After 4 minutes I got bored and put it out. And it looked a lot like your magic cotton ball.
But hey, I watched until the advertisement popp
Tell ya what, i'd be glad to send you some to try. I have to say BS if you think a cotton ball with vasaline will even come close. Send me a PM. Oh yeah be sure to dunk your cotton ball with vaseline is water before you light it or not light it. Might want to do some research and get your facts before you post comments like that.
Sounds like a good challenge to me.
quilteresq
01-17-2012, 18:56
It's Jelwax for candle making. I did find the video by googling amazing cotton balls. He used this package (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Candle-Gel-Wax-Yaley-Candle-Crafting-Candle-Making-item-500000-/260918886194?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbffa3f32#ht_500wt_665) in the video. Looks good to me. I was suspicious of vaseline.
Rocket Jones
01-17-2012, 19:08
Suspicious of vaseline in what way?
rocketsocks
01-17-2012, 19:19
SWEEET....thanks for the demo
quilteresq
01-17-2012, 19:41
In the heat it might leak everywhere, for one. And probably won't work when wet.
ChinMusic
01-17-2012, 19:48
In the heat it might leak everywhere, for one. And probably won't work when wet.
I've been carrying cottonballs with vasoline in an old film container for years. No leakage issues at all, works great.
And they certainly burn a LOT longer than this guy's video.
yes that Vaseline/cotton ball demo looked a bit iffy , I can get a lot better than that.
(I do exactly what ChinMusic does. Having sold cameras most of my life...)
From what I understand that Jelwax is mostly mineral oil and some resins making a product not that dissimilar from paraffin.
So yes, it will burn hot.
BTW, of course Vaseline is "petroleum jelly" so not that far from it either and no water does not affect it (does not dissolve it)
Franco
I save dryer lint and soak it in candle wax. Sometimes I just carry a little bit with some candle a candle - this is pretty cool though.
Mountain Mike
01-17-2012, 20:39
I always liked the wooden mathes shoved into every 2-3 slots of corregated cardboard & dunken in parifin wax. Long burn time. Good for rainy days when kindling is wet. But I always carry "beater knife" Fixed blde that I can beat on with another piece of wood to split one. In 30 years & over 5000 miles I think I have resorted to firestarters 3 times.
your Gel wax chemically sounds real close to Sterno... Sterno coated cotton balls! sounds like a doer
In the heat it might leak everywhere, for one. And probably won't work when wet.
Heat doesn't effect it say in summer time and its waterproof. I dunked it in water. You must have not see the last of the vid.
LOL not sure why there is so much question about this. i'm not trying to sell. If interested i'd be glad to do another test on vid and add more vasaline to a cotton ball and compare the 2. This stuff hardens up so to speak like a rubber. If anyone is familier with WetFire cubes then you can see how good this stuff is. Not saying this is what everyone should use. In some cases just plain cotton balls work fine. But in snow, rain wet conditions this stuff stands out. I like the wet fire cubes but if the package is damaged it goes bad. As far as Sterno the BTU's on this is much higher. Sterno is also a jell all the time. Its doesn't get to a point its not messy like vasaline. It will only take one for someone to see what I"m talking about. I've used all the starters as posted above. I'm not an expert on fire starters I've just used and compared from my experience. Some people on this forum know me and know i'm honest. So if anyone would like to see a certain test on video i'd be glad to do it and show ever step. LOL Gives me something to do when I'm bored.
quilteresq
01-17-2012, 23:03
I'm hoping to do some wood fired cooking in my tri-stove, so I'll probably make some. I'm an exceedingly lazy fire starter. I also like warm "baths" on the trail - but I'm not crazy enough to carry alcohol for that. Wood can heat water for that just fine! And that extra cup of tea after dinner.
Camping Dave
01-17-2012, 23:10
Might want to do some research and get your facts before you post comments like that.
I did. I burned a plain cotton ball and observed that it burned almost as long as your cotton ball with vaseline. Then I burned a cotton ball with some vaseline and observed that it burned as long as the secret solution cotton ball in your video and with a similar flame. End of research. What else should I do?
I did. I burned a plain cotton ball and observed that it burned almost as long as your cotton ball with vaseline. Then I burned a cotton ball with some vaseline and observed that it burned as long as the secret solution cotton ball in your video and with a similar flame. End of research. What else should I do?
Well as I said, i'd be glad to send you one and you are welcome to prove it wrong. I know for a fact this burns a lot hotter and no cotton ball is even close. Why don't you put your cotton ball on top of water and light it. Your not gone get the same results as this. So if your really intersted and giving a true test. I'll send you one. If your just bored and wanting to stir crap, well guess there's one in every bunch. Also found this video that was put up tonight. I'd be intersted to see YOU and your out of the ordinary cottonball with vasaline do what has already been proven in sever peoples videos. Unless your cotton balls are special.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZGkapFd0_A
This video might help some people understand what I'm talking about.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_DF2z73XUY
Reeper
I was the third guy to watch that first video and watched that till the end..
It is pretty obvious to me that the Jelwax does burn hot and for a long time.
The reason some got a bit upset is because they know that if you do the cotton ball/petroleum jelly correctly it will work a lot better than it does in your video.
So I guess that the point is not that the Jelwax does not work but that it may not work that much better as your video shows.
No doubting your honesty...9and thanks for sharing)
BTW, some like the Vaseline thing because you can also use it as a lip balm or for minor skin chafing and windburn (also minor burns after plenty of cold water has been applied...)
Franco
Reeper
I was the third guy to watch that first video and watched that till the end..
It is pretty obvious to me that the Jelwax does burn hot and for a long time.
The reason some got a bit upset is because they know that if you do the cotton ball/petroleum jelly correctly it will work a lot better than it does in your video.
So I guess that the point is not that the Jelwax does not work but that it may not work that much better as your video shows.
No doubting your honesty...9and thanks for sharing)
BTW, some like the Vaseline thing because you can also use it as a lip balm or for minor skin chafing and windburn (also minor burns after plenty of cold water has been applied...)
Franco
Good point man. Thanks. I went back and watched the video. Yeah I can see your point. I didn't really realize that and didn't pay attention since I knew what both would do. That was my fault for not paying closer attention to the amount of vaseline that was on the cotton ball. Tried to do a fair test. Sorry for the confusion.
This morning I shot a quick video clip on how I do the petroleum jelly /cotton ball thingo
(In Australia they are commonly called Cotton Wool)
The one I light in the demo is a small one but should be sufficient to start a typical wood fire with poor or a bit damp wood (if cut and set correctly)
but you could always use a couple to get a larger flame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW4esKKkTtA&feature=related
Franco
rocketsocks
01-19-2012, 01:46
This morning I shot a quick video clip on how I do the petroleum jelly /cotton ball thingo
(In Australia they are commonly called Cotton Wool)
The one I light in the demo is a small one but should be sufficient to start a typical wood fire with poor or a bit damp wood (if cut and set correctly)
but you could always use a couple to get a larger flame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW4esKKkTtA&feature=related
FrancoHey franco what time you got?
Looks like the fellow sousaville attributes as the creator of the amazing cotton ball is a guy that runs the bushcraftbartons YouTube channel. Here's his video on how to make one. Note he explains there's 3 grades of Gel Wax and ideally you want to use grade 1.
Now we know the real story......
Check out this video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qddKG2u_wI&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Wise Old Owl
01-19-2012, 10:20
This wax you are all mentioning appears to be sofened wax ( not parafin ) with Mineral Sprits or Ethanol. I will stick with the Esbit or Wetfire which is the same thing.
Don't forget - this is all unecessary when you realize you can use a bic lighter, your stove, fuzz sticks, Pine nodules ( Tree Resin) and your brain.
Wise Old Owl is correct. Its amusing there's been so much hype around a common cotton ball.
What's really amusing is that WOO thinks it's about softened wax/mineral spirits and Spokes thinks it's about cotton. You guys are a riot!
Rocketsoks
From the age of six I was able to cook a meal for myself on a wood burning stove. (starting from preparing and lighting the stove...)
We had that same stove till about I turned ten then we changed to gas.
However we still used wood burning stoves up in the village and open fire further up the mountain in what it used to be a summer farm house.
So building a fire is not an arcane science to me...
I made some new balls just to test weight and duration.
It takes three of my typical size to register 5 g on my scale , so I will call it a 2g ball.
(incidentally one ball is made from three balls as picked from the plant. I actually do have real raw cotton , but not a plant in my backyard...)
Pulling the ball slightly apart (not much) but pulling the top up to light it, I had a total of 5 minute burn.
Up to about 4 minutes the flame varied from 3 to 6 inches, at the 4 minute mark it settled to 3 inches decreasing to 2 at about 4:30, then turning the remains I had another almost 30 sec burn.
Franco
rocketsocks
01-19-2012, 18:44
Franco,that was quite interesting really!and I like the stories about growing up and having to start fires for the family at an early age.very cool.But I was wondering what time it was there at the time of posting I thought you were on line so.....to funny.I plan to make some cotton balls and maybe even look into to planting a cotton ball tree.....very neat.Thanks Franco
I thought of that too.
I am in Melbourne. We are six hours behind you but a day ahead... (11 AM Fri here is 5PM Thu where you are...)
rocketsocks
01-19-2012, 20:13
Thanks Franco and again,good stories and good video.
Jute or hemp twine, the cheap brown and hairy stuff, lightly tarred. Plus vegetable oil. Very versatile. Oil lamp. Oil burner. Fire starter. Lashing stuff. Food. But I wouldn't climb with it. :-)
SassyWindsor
01-19-2012, 21:05
Been using petrol jelly and cotton balls for years to light my zip stove. Also good for chapped lips, etc. Have also used mentholated jelly which is also petrol based.
Wise Old Owl
01-19-2012, 21:23
Franco makes a good point the color of the flame is yellow not blue so no its not hot enough and does not perform better than ethanol or Methenol.
And Chief I was describing what might be in the ingredients of jell wax. Bada Bouie WMMR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Robert)